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Usman Khawaja to play for Derbyshire

The Pakistan-born Khawaja said he has taken the decision to improve his game.

London: Usman Khawaja, the first Muslim cricketer to represent Australia, will play for English county Derbyshire in the upcoming season.

The 24-year-old, who made a promising debut in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, sought a no-objection certificate from Cricket Australia to play in England from April to August.

The Pakistan-born Khawaja said he has taken the decision to improve his game.

"I'm going over there to improve my game, full stop; that is what it is," Khawaja was quoted as saying by The Herald Sun on Friday.

"Obviously it is cricket and it is the best form of practice you can get. I will get to play the four-dayers, the 40-over matches and play T20 cricket, so you are playing all the forms of the game.

"It's a good competition and there's a lot of cricket, so it's always good for you."

John Morris, Derbyshire's director of cricket, said: "Successful stints in County Cricket have played an integral part in the development of many successful Australian cricketers and I'm sure Usman will benefit hugely from this experience.

"He has scored runs consistently for New South Wales and is also proving to be a very entertaining player to watch."